Hi again. I have to be honest that I was disappointed in the turnout for last week’s Garden of Life Raw Meal giveaway, but I think it was my fault. It was my first time using the Rafflecopter widget, and I think my big mistake was making the time to enter too short. SO, this week, we’re giving away what’s left of the Raw Meal AND the Raw Fit, which I’m reviewing today.

Garden of Life Raw Fit

As you know from last week’s review of Raw Meal, I am not a big “supplement person,” but I’m happy to share that the Garden of Life protein powders are a rare exception. This particular product is designed to assist in a weight management plan and can replace one to two meals per day. It’s low in sugar, high in fiber and protein, and it contains the famously touted green coffee bean extract that’s been all the rage these days for assistance in weight loss. The active ingredient in green coffee bean extract is called chlorogenic acid, and it’s claimed to aid in weight loss by altering how the body responds to sugar.

Full disclosure:

After all the press about Dr. Oz endorsing green coffee bean extract and then finding out the study he advertised had some inaccurate information, I was hesitant to review this product. I checked out the information on WebMD about green coffee beans, and it didn’t really give me much more confidence about its effectiveness, but it did say that it was considered a safe additive. In other words, they aren’t as sure as they once were that it’s a miracle weight loss aid, but it’s likely not harmful to try it out. That made me feel more confident in recommending Raw Fit based on the other ingredients in the product that are more established to aid in weight management. The jury might still be out on green coffee, but there’s no question about the remaining ingredients in Raw Fit. There is no such thing as a miracle in weight loss. Without proper diet and exercise, it simply won’t happen.

Garden of Life actually offers a plan to supplement this product and maximize results, which you can check out here. <—

Ingredients

Chromium and Cinnamon are both clinically proven to promote healthy blood sugar levels and fat loss, and both are included in Raw Fit, which I love. I’ve personally recommended both of these supplements to a number of clients over the years, especially those who have metabolic syndrome or diabetes.

Digestive Aids – both enzymes and probiotics are included in this formula to promote healthy digestion. The more efficient your digestion, the better your ability to absorb nutrients and ultimately lose weight. Enzymes aid in digestion at the beginning of the process in the mouth and stomach. They break down the food you eat into constituents small enough for your intestines to handle. The healthy bacteria in the large intestine finish the job by aiding in absorption of the remaining nutrients in the foods you eat. Adding beneficial bacteria (probiotics) into the system through food and supplements can help maintain the balance of bacteria in the colon.

Stress Management with Ashwagandha – I’ve learned repeatedly over the last few years that people don’t like hearing about the relationship between stress and weight. Unfortunately, it’s undeniable that stress affects our physiology, and does indeed create a barrier to weight loss, especially middle body weight. Cortisol, a key stress hormone (which is necessary in small amounts), is partially responsible for that difficulty. Ashwagandha, an ayurvedic herb, is included in Raw Fit as a holistic approach to alleviate stress and regulate cortisol levels in the body.

How I Made My Raw Fit

I used the Marley Coffee Raw Fit for my taste test, and I found that it was at its best with almond milk and 1/2 a banana. Because of the extremely low sugar content of Raw Fit, I was ok with adding the banana, but depending on how strict you want to be or how ambitious your weight loss goals and timeline are will depend on whether or not you want to add it to your own.

FTC DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored product review post, which means I received this product for free in exchange for this post and may be compensated for my work. All opinions are my own. I offer full transparency in all product and business reviews and only recommend products I actually use.